Everyday is sacred

In the journey of my life, my teachings began with my grandfather, my mom's father, and my dad. They were the wise ones who shared the ways of our people, and my mom and grandmothers helped shape and perfect those teachings.

As a child, I didn’t think much about spirituality. In school, I learned that our Indigenous peoples were merely figures of the past, that our traditions had faded away, leaving behind only myths and legends.

But as I grew older, the words of my father echoed in my mind: "We have been brainwashed to be white; now we must brainwash ourselves into being Indians again." I thought it was just the ramblings of an old man. Yet, he spoke passionately about our history, our traditions, and the spiritual beliefs that connect us to our ancestors.

When I reached college, I began to dig deeper into the stories my dad shared, like the time when the Haida, Gitxsan, and Nisga'a nations united to defend our lands against the Russian invaders, who sought to enslave our people. To my astonishment, I found that the timelines matched perfectly, and the accounts recorded by Russia were reflected on our totem poles. This revelation ignited a spark within me—could it be that we are not the foolish, lazy Indians that society portrays us to be?

As I continued my quest for knowledge, I grappled with a simple yet profound question: Are we alive? The teachings in elementary school suggested otherwise, that we were mere remnants of history, the so-called uncivilized savages who had vanished. So, I pondered, who am I truly?

At 21, I encountered the sweat lodge for the first time. It was there that I realized we are still here, still vibrant. Although the prayer sweat lodge isn’t traditionally Gitxsan, it opened my eyes to the rituals of other Indigenous nations. My father had always encouraged me to learn from and connect with different Aboriginal traditions, and my mother taught me the importance of networking with other Indigenous peoples. In my journey, I embraced various rituals and ceremonies from communities across Canada and the USA, each reminding me of the spirits that walk beside us.

I took a winding path back to my true self, seeking my identity. I began to recall the teachings of my grandparents, my mother, and my family. I watched my grandfather hunt, respecting every animal that provided for us, always returning what we didn’t use to the earth and water, teaching us that to play with our food is to dishonor the life given to us. We didn’t practice rituals in my youth; I learned of a few, like the pipe and the sweat lodge, but they were not romanticized as they are today. The sweat lodge was for cleansing, to rid ourselves of scent so the animals wouldn’t detect us. The pipes were for prayer, shared among chiefs before deciding how a potlatch would unfold.

These are the truths I hold dear:
I am Gitxsan.
Every day and everything is sacred.
Each choice we make is a part of our sacred journey in this lifetime.
Our traditional laws are rooted in respect—for all spiritual life.
The spiritual practices of our people have been woven into the fabric of our daily lives since time immemorial, lived and taught through our upbringing. Now, when someone asks me about my religion, I proudly say, "I practice Gitxsan."

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